Machine for descaling boilers



- Feb. 26, 1929.

1 1,703,695 F. L. SCHLEICHER MACHINE FOR D SCATJING BOILERS Filed Oct. 4, '1926 0 s4 53 J" 8c 42 5- 386- 47- I 33 a1 6" I v 6 E gmmtw:

Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

mnnnmcx Ljscnznnrcnnn, or s1. Louis, MISSOURI.

. CHINE IOR DESCALING BOILERS.

Application fled October 4, 1826. Serial No, 139,542.

This invention relates to machines for descaling boilers, or machines that produce by abrasion a finely divided material that re-' mains in suspension in the feed water that.

passes through the machine on its way to the boiler. with the scale-forming solute in-the water to form other substances that have no scaleforming tendencies. Hitherto the suspended material has been formed b abrading the sides of an iron conduit by means of steel or iron balls that are driven therethrough by the current of water in thecourse of its passage to the boiler. Machines operating on this principle are objectionable on accountof the wearing out of the walls of the machine itself and further because jamming of the balls in the conduit is of frequent occurrence.

Accordingly, an. object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the class described whose casing is not subject to abrae sion and whose wearing parts may be easily replaced at a minimum'cost.

. Another object is the provision of such a machine thatis so organizedthat it can not is employed to force the feed Water into the,

boiler. e

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in whichlike numbers of reference denote like parts wherever theyoccur, 1

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the machine taken on an axial plane indicated by the line 11 in Figure 2, parts being broken away; and

The suspended material reacts.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the irregular'line 2-2 in Figure 1, parts being broken away.

The casing 1 of the machine comprises an annular lateral wall 2 audit rear wall 3. The open front of the casing 1 is closed by a removable cover plate 4, secured by means of bolts 5 to the flanges 6, extending laterally outward from thefront end of the wall 2. A wall 7, exteriorly convex in cross-section, is formed integral" with and encompasses the intermediate portion of wall 2 to enclose an intermediate duct 8, and enlarges laterally outward at one point to form a neck 9, having an outwardly and laterally extending flange 10 on its outer end. A central neck 11 is formed integral with and extends rearwardly from the rear wall 3, and is provided at its outer end with a laterall and outwardly extending flange 12. Nec s 9 and ll are connected to respective flanged ends at an interruption in .the feed-water pipe .by means of bolts that pass through thelioles therefor in the flanges of the pipes and the holes 13 in the flanges 10 and 12, respectively, so that the feed water enters thecasing 1 through the neck 9 and is discharged therefrom through'the-neck 11. Openings 14 in the wall 3 afford communicationbetween the chamber 15in the casing. 1 and the interior of the neck 11. I V

A pintle 16 projects centrally from the wall 3 into the chamber 15, the reduced portion or neck 17 of the pintle passing throughjthe wall and being screw-threaded'at its outer end to receive a nut 18, by means of which it is secured to the Wall 3. An abrading cylinder .19 is provided with a central bearing 20 that fits the pintle 16 so that the cylinder 19 may turn freely thereon. Cylinder 19 forms the hub of a water wheel 21, that comprises a rim 22 and a spider 23, preferably cast integral with the rim 22 at the front edge of the latter. Spider 23'is located with .relation to the cyl1nder19 by a boss 24 that projects from the spider and fits closely into the bearng 20, and the spider is secured to the cylinder by means of screws 25,-that pass in unthreaded relation through the spider 23 and screw into tapped holes in the front face of the cylinder 19. Teeth or vanes 26 of any suitable or usual form are formed on the outer face oft-he rim .22. a

Bosses 27 project from the inner side of V the wall 3 between the cylinder 19 and the rim 22, and studs28 'are=screwedinto the said bosses. The-spaced-apart ears 290i brush holders 30 are journaled on opposite ends of the studs 28 and are connected by webs 31, provided at their forwardedges with inwardly projected flanges 32. on the outer ends of the studs 28inaintain the holders 30 against lateral: displacement on said studs. Brushes 3% of iron, zinc, or other suitable material that is to be abraded to form the suspended material, are secured to the holders 30 by means of screws 35, passing n nnthreaded {relation through the brushes-and screwing into the flanges 32; Thebrushes 34' are maintained in eng'a-gement with the s cylinder 19 by means of springs tiycoiled around the studs-28 and each-havingone end bearing against the rear edge- 0f the web '31 and" theother and against arespective pin 87L Thepins37-arescrew-threaded on' their riorly sereu threaded opvenings etl are formed alinedwith the nozzle '38 adj acent thereto and inner ends andkscre-wed into the inner ide ofithe wall 3i. The said pins, also, function as stops to prevent contact and resulting abrasi'onof the b'rush holdersby the cylinder.

Nozzles 38ersexteriorly screw-threa ded to fit --interior-ly I screw-threaded openings 39 in the-wall 2, and the'nozzles are held in the openings so as to direct jets ofwater from the duct 8 against thevanes 26 of the wheel 21' so'astoc-ause-the latter to rotate. To-at ford convenientaccess-to the nozzles, intein*therwa-'ll 7 through which openings the nozzlesmaybe passed for-removal orreplace ment': T-heopenings lO mayall be closed byplugsf il" screwed thereinto; or, preferably, at

' stoni- 43, and the'uppjer end otsleeve 42 en-.

largesto stuffing box formation andisscrewthre'aded nternally to receive the externally screw-threaded gland=let employedto compress the packing 4-5 thereinto seal the joint" bet-ween tliegland ei land thestem 43 pass ingfth'erethrough. The outer end of'steml be provided withany suitable handle 46. The inner conical end" of each stem 43 may be screwed thereagainst to close the openmgun the nozzle. Each valve 43 maybe adjustedrtoincrease or decrease theflow of water-through its nozzle,- and thereby accord ingly vary the impact ofthe waterit'rom said nozzle against-the wheelQl without diminishlng the'impact from-the other nozzles, .sothat the flow of Water as awhole through the casmg may bevaried'as determined by th'e'needs of the boiler while thetull' impact may be had from at least some ofthe-nozzles.

The central portion of plate 4 preferably The heads 33 boiler tends to reverse rises outwardlyin sleeve formation 47. The outerencl of sleeve 47 is recessed lnternally to receivea glassdisciiS, andis screw-threaded externally to receive the internally screwthreaded annular flange d9 of a ring 50 that overlies the marginalportions of the disc d8 to secure thelatter in its recess. The inner end of sleeve i7 preferably extends to the spider'23 to prevent: forward displacement of the latteron the stud 16. A central stem 51 is screwed into the outer; side oi: spider 23 and l projects into the sleevet? in juxtaposition to the: glass disc 48, where it enlarges laterally into a discbfl. The outer faceoisdisc 52 may be-marked in any suitable manner-so its rota tionavillib'e easily observed throughthe glass 48, as for instance-,itmay bedivided into two semi-circles of different colors.- The, said disc 52. fillClzilS' associated parts constitute ex? teriorlyi visible-means that; will indicate whether or fnot the wheel =21,is in motion.

The casingand cover plate a are preferably formed ofzcast iron, therim and spiden of the wheel :21 ofcast bronzeyandthe screws and studs preferably. of machine steel, although other suitable materials may be employed;

" The cylinderlt) is preferably'the abrader and the brushesfiazare ofsofter materialythat may be Worn down. by the. abrasive action of'rthe' cylinder The cylinder ispreterably formed of hardened ste'cl while the brushes may be made of iron, copper, zinc, barium, or other metal or alloys otm'eta'l; thatmay. befound to be best ada ptedto the kindbf'water that is -fed :-to the: boiler. lttwilhbe observed that the principal wear is on the brushes, and that these aremaintained in contact witlnthe cylinden by the springs 36 as the wean proceeds, and when worn .out, maybe easily'replaced. It will, also beobserved that allithe -p arts are maintained iir definite spacedrelation so that no jam-ming can occur. 1

Vfhen a reciprocating pump is employed to I force the feed water into the boiler, the action intermittent or pulsating, there being intervals when the back pressure from. the the flow oi the water in thecasing 'l. It willbe observed, however, that by reason ofithe outlet 11 beingloc'ated centrally with relation to the-wheel Ql', the backpressure will act substantially equal on all sides of the faceoi the wheel, so that there is no tendency to interrupt itsrotation. v

Having thus fully described this inven+ tion, I- hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in fori'n arrangement, order, cr me of parts, as-it is evident that: many minor changes may be made'therein without departing from the spirit of this inventionor the scope or "the thlloi ingcla-ims.

I claim:

1. In a machineof the-character described, a casing, a Water wheel mounted to rotate therein, the said casing being arranged to direct water to drive said wheel, and means in said casing and driven by said wheel to produce a finely divided material that remains in suspension in the water and reacts with the scale-forming solute in the water to render the latter inactive.

2. In a machine of the character described,

. a casing, a water wheel mounted to rotate therein, the said casing being arranged to direct water to drive said Wheel, an abrading member, and a member abraded thereby, one of said members being driven by said wheel and the other of said members being supported by said casing against rotation with the wheel-driven member.

3. In a machine of the character described, a casing, a water Wheel mounted to rotate therein, the said casing being arranged to direct water to drive said wheel, abrading means borne by said wheel and rotatable therewith, and a brush borne by said casing to ride over said abrading means to be abraded thereby.

4. In a machine of the character described, a casing, means therein for producing finely divided descaling material and embodying a rotatable element, a portion of the wall of said casing being transparent, and means borne by said rotatable element and visible through the said transparent wall portion for indicating a state of motion or of rest of said rotatable element.

5. In a machine of the character described, a casing, a Water wheel revolubly mounted therein, a plurality of nozzles adapted to direct jets of water against said wheel to ro tate the same, valve means for regulating the jet from at least one of said nozzles, and means operated by said wheel for producing finely divided descaling material.

6. In a machine of the character described, a casing having a wheel chamber; a water wheel revolubly mounted therein; a plurality of nozzles disposed around said wheel and adapted to direct jets of water against said wheel to rotate the same; means operated by said wheel to produce finely divided descaling material; the said casing having a discharge opening leading from the wheel chamber, a conduit supplying the nozzles, and an inlet opening for the conduit.

7. In a machine of the character described, a casing having a wheel chamber; a water wheel revolubly mounted therein; and means operated by said Wheel to produce finely divided descaling material; the said casing being arranged to project water against the peripheral portion of said wheel to drive the same and having a discharge opening leading laterally from the wheel chamber at the axis.

. in by the passage of water through said casing, a second member borne by said casing to ride over said first-mentioned member as the latter rotates, so that one of said members abrades the other, and resilient means for maintaining said members in contact.

10. In a machine of the class described, a casing, a rotary abrading element therein adapted to be operated by the passage of the water through said casing, a brush adapted to be abraded thereby, and a holder for said brush pivoted to said casing and detachably connected to said brush, so that said brush may either be engaged with or disengaged from said abrading element by the pivotal movement of said holder in a proper direction.

11. In a machine of the class described, a casing, a rotary abrading element therein adapted to be operated by the passage of the water through said casing, a brush adapted to be abraded thereby, a holder for said brush detachably connected thereto, so that said brush may be either engaged with or disengaged from said abrading element by the movement of said holder in the proper direction, said holder being spring-tensioned to maintain said brush in contact with said abrading element.

12. In a machine of the character described, a casing, an abrading member adapted to be rotated by the passage of water through said casing, a stationary abraded member borne by said casing and resilient means for maintaining said member in intimate contact with said abrading member.

13. In a machine of the character described, a casing, a rotatable member mounted therein and adapted to be operated by the passage of water through said casing, abrading means fixedly carried by said rotatable member'and a stationary abraded member borne by said casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

FREDERICK L. SCHLEICHERF 

